Solheim Cup: betting preview, lowdown, free tips & TV details

Where to watch

Sky Sports Main Event from 7.30am Friday

Best bets

Europe to win
3pts 9-5 Coral
Bronte Law Top European scorer
1pt each-way 12-1 Sky Bet
Charley Hull Top European scorer
1pt win 6-1 general
Lizette Salas Top American scorer
1pt each-way 8-1 general
Europe to win 14.5-13.5
1pt 12-1 bet365
Europe to win 15-13
1pt 14-1 bet365

Tournament preview

Europe have won both times when the Solheim Cup has been staged in Scotland and Catriona Matthew’s terriers have every chance of making it a hat-trick as the outsiders at gorgeous Gleneagles this weekend.

Having won the last two matches, the USA have to be favourites but they field six rookies now that Stacy Lewis, brought in for her experience, has had to pull out with a back problem, and it will be no walk in the park.

These first-timers may well take fright at the partisan fans and the pressure-cooker atmosphere.

Juli Inkster’s much-changed side looks weaker than the one that won with a degree of ease in Des Moines. Only Lexi Thompson, Lizette Salas, Danielle Kang and Angel Yin remain from those 16.5-11.5 winners.

Feisty fighters Cristie Kerr, Paula Creamer, Michelle Wie and Brittany Lincicome are all gone. Wie, fed up with battling a wrist injury, announced in June she was taking the rest of the year off.

Only two Americans, Thompson and debutante Nelly Korda, have won on the LPGA Tour this year and Inkster’s practice plans have been disrupted by Lewis withdrawing and the late introduction of Ally McDonald.

On combined world rankings, it’s no contest. USA have five of the world’s top 20, headed by world number three Thompson, while Europe have only one, Spaniard Carlota Ciganda. But this is 18-hole matchplay, not 72-hole strokeplay on which the rankings are chiefly based.

Europe’s confidence has grown since 2017 through Georgia Hall winning the British Open and Bronte Law breaking through in the States at the Pure Silk Championship.

The home side also field the longest hitter in Dutch bomber Anne van Dam and Charley Hull is fitter physically and mentally since following an exercise regime arranged by her fiancé, MMA boxing champ Ozzie Smith.

Hull (7-3-1) has the highest win percentage in the team (68.18), and will be a key player.

She, Hall and Law have been pals and rivals since junior days and as Matthew says her pairings will be based as much on personalities as form, we shall probably see that trio getting together in fourball and/or foursomes combos over the first two days.

It’s probably best not to try to guess what each captain has in mind for pairings but if you’re betting on the top points scorer, it may be best to wait until the first foursomes line-ups are revealed at the opening ceremony.

Only eight of the 12 players go out in each session and as both captains are looking for a fast start, the best are likely to go first. Those eight alone will have the opportunity to play all five series. The top scorers will surely have to play at least four times.

Unless somebody is badly out of form, it’s the American custom to give everyone a game on day one in this Ryder Cup format.

Both teams have weaknesses and Matthew has taken a gamble in picking rusty Suzann Pettersen who has only just started playing again after having a baby.

The Norwegian got the competition in the headlines for the wrong reasons the last time she played in 2015.

Pettersen claimed a hole after US rookie Alison Lee picked up an 18-inch putt believing it had been conceded. She and Hull won that match but lost the war as the unsavoury incident fired up the Americans who overturned a 10-6 deficit to regain the trophy.

If the former world number two, Europe’s greatest since Annika Sorenstam, can steal a couple of points, Matthew’s marauders could edge a tight match.

Gleneagles has already proved a lucky course for Europe as the men triumphed there in the 2014 Ryder Cup.

Ace match-player Law, who scored maximum points in the 2016 Curtis Cup, and Hull look the likely main contributors for Europe and experienced Salas, the most in-form of the visitors, can top-score for USA.

Solheim Cup lowdown

Course Gleneagles (Centenary), Auchterarder, Perthshire, Scotland

Length 6,434 yards Par 72

Format Match decided over 28 games, eight fourballs and eight foursome first two days, 12 singles on Sunday

When to bet By 8am Friday

Weather forecast Cool (up to 16C) and dry for first two days, warmer and some sun on Sunday (19C)

Course overview Architect Jack Nicklaus called it “the finest parcel of land in the world I have been given to work with” when he turned the Monarch’s Course into the PGA Centenary Course in 1993. The omens are good for Europe as Paul McGinley’s team scored a landslide 16.5 to 11.5 victory there in the 2014 Ryder Cup. Spectacular views and spectacular holes in a golfers’ heaven.

Overall record USA lead Europe 10-5

Schedule - Thursday Opening ceremony 5.30pm Friday and Saturday Four foursomes (alternate shots) starting 8.10am-8.46am Sunday Twelve singles starting 11.40am-1.52pm, Closing ceremony 6pm.

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